The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus for reading image data of a transparency original such as a photographic film and a microfilm, and more particularly to an image reading apparatus which permits a so-called preview by collectively reading a film-shaped transparency original having a plurality of frames.
As an image reading apparatus of this type, one disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-311311 is known. This conventional image reading apparatus (hereafter referred to as the xe2x80x9cfirst image reading apparatusxe2x80x9d) comprises a carrier member holding a film-shaped transparency original which has a plurality of frames, a magazine member holding the carrier member, an illuminating means illuminating the transparency original which is held by the carrier member, an image reading means reading image data of the transparency original illuminated by the illuminating means, and a viewing unit displaying an image on the basis of the image data which has been read by the image reading means.
In this first image reading apparatus, when a user guides the carrier member with the transparency original fitted therein to an original-reading position inside the magazine member, the image reading means, while moving, reads a one-frame portion of image data of the transparency original. Then, as the image data which has been read is outputted to the viewing unit, an image of the one-frame portion is displayed on the viewing unit, thereby permitting previewing.
On the other hand, an image reading apparatus (hereafter referred to as the xe2x80x9csecond image reading apparatusxe2x80x9d) cited in the column xe2x80x9cPrior Artxe2x80x9d in the aforementioned publication is also conventionally known. This second image reading apparatus has a screen on which an image of the transparency original is projected, and the image of the transparency original is optically projected onto the screen, thereby permitting previewing. In this second image reading apparatus, as the carrier member is manually fed in continuously, all the images on the transparency original fitted in the carrier member can be previewed.
However, the first conventional image reading apparatus has the following problem. Namely, it is a one-frame portion of the transparency original that can be previewed in the first image reading apparatus. For this reason, the user must specify a frame for which image reading or previewing is desired, by confirming one frame at a time by allowing light to be transmitted through the transparency original fitted in the carrier member prior to image reading or previewing. Meanwhile, in a case where the plurality of images fitted in the carrier member resemble each other, particularly in a case where similar images continue as in a continuously shot photographic film, with the method of confirming by allowing light to be transmitted the transparency original, it is very difficult to reliably select a desired image on the transparency original. Therefore, despite the fact that a preview function is provided for facilitating the specification of an image to be read, the user must guide each frame in the carrier member to the reading position and effect previewing in order to reliably specify the image for which reading is desired. Thus, the first image reading apparatus has a problem in that the user is compelled to carry out a very troublesome operation to specify an image subject to reading.
On the other hand, with the second conventional image reading apparatus, the user is able to continuously confirm all of the transparency original in the carrier member by manually guiding the carrier member to the reading position. However, this second image reading apparatus is not so arranged as to be able to read and store the image on the transparency original as image data, and is merely arranged to optically project the image onto the screen. Therefore, in a case where the transparency original subject to reading can be only specified after a number of reconfirmations have been made, the carrier member must be guided again to a predetermined reading position on each such occasion, so that there is still a problem in that the user is compelled to carry out a troublesome operation.
Further, the following common problem exists in the above-described first and second image reading apparatuses. Namely, although, in an image reading apparatus, it is generally necessary to make an insertion port large so as to facilitate the insertion of the carrier member into the magazine member, a slight clearance is produced between the carrier member and the magazine member as a result of making the insertion port large. For this reason, the accuracy of movement of the carrier member declines due to the clearance, with the result that there is a problem in that the accuracy of image reading also declines. Thus, the conventional image reading apparatuses have a problem in that they cannot simultaneously satisfy the two requirements that the carrier member can be inserted easily into the magazine member and that images can be read accurately.
The present invention has been devised to overcome the above-described problems, and its standpoint lies in providing an image reading apparatus which is capable of easily specifying a frame of the transparency original for which image reading is desired from the transparency original with a plurality of frames which is held in the carrier member. Another standpoint of the present invention is to provide an image reading apparatus which facilitates the insertion of the carrier member and has high image reading accuracy.
To attain these standpoints, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided an image reading apparatus which comprises a carrier member holding a film-shaped transparency original which has a plurality of frames, an illuminating means illuminating the transparency original, an image reading means reading image data of the transparency original illuminated by the illuminating means, and a carrier frame having a carrier moving means which moves the carrier member to allow the image reading means to read the image data, the image reading apparatus further comprises: a read controlling means providing control such that the image data of each frame of the transparency original is continuously read by the image reading means by driving the carrier moving means in accordance with an image batch read command, in which the image data which has been read is outputted to an image display device connected to the image reading apparatus. According to this image reading apparatus, when an image batch read command is outputted from such as an external device or an operation switch, the read controlling means provides control to cause the image reading means to continuously read the image data of each frame of the transparency original by driving the carrier moving means. Then, the image data which has been read by the image reading means is outputted to an image display device which is an external device connected to the image reading apparatus, or to an image display device incorporated in the image reading apparatus. As a result, the user is easily able to specify a frame for which image reading is desired among the plurality of frames of the transparency original held in the carrier member.
In addition, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided an image reading apparatus which comprises a carrier member holding a film-shaped transparency original which has a plurality of frames, an illuminating means illuminating the transparency original, an image reading means reading image data of the transparency original illuminated by the illuminating means, and a carrier frame having a carrier moving means which moves the carrier member to allow the image reading means to read the image data, the image reading apparatus further comprises: a read controlling means providing control such that the image data of a designated frame of the transparency original is read by the image reading means by driving the carrier moving means in accordance with an image read command, in which the image data which has been read is outputted to an image display device connected to the image reading apparatus. According to this image reading apparatus, when an image read command is outputted from such as an external device or an operation switch, the read controlling means provides control to cause the image reading means to continuously and automatically read the image data of a plurality of frames or one specific frame of the transparency original designated by the image read command by driving the carrier moving means. Then, the image data which has been read by the image reading means is outputted to an image display device which is an external device connected to the image reading apparatus, or to an image display device incorporated in the image reading apparatus. Accordingly, the user is easily able to specify a frame for which image reading is desired among the plurality of frames of the transparency original held in the carrier member.
In addition, as for the image reading apparatus of the present invention, in the image reading apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, the read controlling means drives the carrier moving means so as to cause the image data of a frame subjected to frame designation in accordance with a frame designation command for designating one of the plurality of frames. In accordance with this image reading apparatus, if a frame designation command is outputted such as when the user has operated an operation switch after having specified an image for which image reading is desired among the images which have been read by the image reading apparatus, the read controlling means drives the carrier moving means. Consequently, the image reading means reads the image data of the frame-designated frame. Thus, the user is capable of reading the image data by designating an arbitrary frame from the plurality of frames of the transparency original.
Furthermore, in the image reading apparatus according to claim 3, the image reading apparatus of the present invention further comprises: a carrier-frame moving means moving the carrier frame, and when a frame is designated by the frame designation command, the read controlling means drives the carrier moving means to move the frame-designated frame of the transparency original to a reading position for reading by the image reading means, and drives the carrier-frame moving means to cause the image reading means to read the image data of the frame-designated frame. In accordance with this image reading apparatus, when there has been an image batch read command, the read controlling means causes the image reading means to read the image data of the plurality of frames of the transparency original by driving the carrier moving means, and when there has been a frame designation command, the read controlling means causes the image reading means to read the image data of the frame-designated frame by driving the carrier-frame moving means. In other words, in this image reading apparatus, when a frame is designated, the carrier member is moved by moving the carrier frame, unlike the case of batch reading during which the carrier member itself is moved. When a frame-designated image is read, it is generally necessary to move the carrier frame accurately; however, in batch reading, it suffices if at least the frame subject to image reading can be specified, so that the moving accuracy of the carrier member can be low. For this reason, in this image reading apparatus, even if, for example, a slight gap or clearance is produced between the carrier frame and the carrier member as a result of widening the insertion port to facilitate the insertion of the carrier member, insofar as the carrier member is stationary on the carrier frame, the frame-designated image can be read with high accuracy as compared with a case where the carrier member is moved on the carrier frame in a shaky manner.
Furthermore, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided an image reading apparatus which comprises: a carrier member holding a film-shaped transparency original which has a plurality of frames; an illuminating means illuminating the transparency original; and an image reading means reading image data of the transparency original illuminated by the illuminating means, in which when the image data is read in previewing, the carrier member is moved by a carrier moving means, and when final image reading of the image data is effected, the carrier member is moved by moving a carrier frame having the carrier moving means. In accordance with this image reading apparatus, when preview reading is effected, the image data of the plurality of frames is read by causing the carrier moving means to move the carrier member, whereas when final reading is effected, the image data of a predetermined frame is read by moving the carrier member by moving the carrier frame. In other words, during final reading, the carrier member is moved by moving the carrier frame, unlike the case of preview reading during which the carrier member itself is moved. During final reading, it is generally necessary to move the carrier frame accurately, whereas, during preview reading, it suffices if at least the image in the frame can be read, so that the moving accuracy of the carrier member can be low. For this reason, in this image reading apparatus, even if, for example, a slight gap or clearance is produced between the carrier frame and the carrier member as a result of widening the insertion port to facilitate the insertion of the carrier member, insofar as the carrier member is stationary on the carrier frame, the image in the designated frame can be read with high accuracy during final reading as compared with a case where the carrier member is moved on the carrier frame in a shaky manner.
In addition to the standpoints described above, the standpoint of invention of the image reading apparatus in accordance with the present invention lies in what is evident from the description of the best mode for carrying out the invention or its drawings.